High Security Door Locks.

A popular type of home security door lock is the deadbolt and for good reason. Not all deadbolts are created equal however.

In order for deadbolt locks to be high security door locks, they need to have a throw of at least an inch (25.40 mm) to hold up under the pressure of a burglar trying to kick the door in.

The throw is the part of the bolt that extends in to the strike plate or strike box.

Not only does a longer throw make it more difficult to force a door open, it also helps to prevent gaining entry by spreading out the frame.

A strike box, or a strike plate and box, will give you more security than a strike plate alone.

A strike plate is a small metal plate that is screwed over the hole in the door frame that the deadbolt throws into. A strike box fits inside that hole giving greater strength. Some strike boxes require a separate plate to fix them in place, others are made with their own plate attached.

You also need to be sure that the screws holding the strike box in place are at least three inches long, often the screws supplied are of inadequate length. They need to be able to screw through and into the wall frame not just the jamb of the door frame. This makes it much harder for a burglar to force the door open.

Many high security door locks have hardened steel anti-saw pins encased within the deadbolt. Should a burglar attempt to saw through the deadbolt these pins will spin with every stroke of the saw, thus making sawing through extremely difficult.

If enough pressure is applied to the top or bottom edge of a door with a single lock in the edge center, the door will flex to a degree.

High security door locks help guard against kick in burglary.

This leverage provides extra strain upon the lock and with sufficient pressure even high security door locks could burst.

To overcome this potential security weakness multi-point locking systems were developed. As the name suggests these locks throw into the door frame at more than one point.

There are several designs and styles available, the most usual having a deadbolt for the central lock and a hook bolt top and bottom. This arrangement thwarts a burglar from gaining leverage by applying force to the top or bottom of the door.

Multi-point locking is often found on PVC doors, but systems are available for use on wooden and steel doors.

You need to be aware of this method of illegally entering homes. Many locks sold nowadays have anti-bump features incorporated.

If the locks on your external doors are key operated and do not have anti-bump features, you may want to consider replacing them. - Lock Bumping.

There are several different types of keyless door locks available including those with fingerprint recognition. Many of these locks are suitable for residential use, and offer many security advantages such as the ability to set temporary codes and no worries about keys being lost or copied.

Are keyless door locks high security locks? The fact that a lock is keyless does not in itself make it a high security lock. But many of these locks are deadbolt locking and give an enhanced degree of protection.

Although vitally important, high security locks are only one element in the security of your home. All the entry doors to your home should be fitted with secure locks, including the service door through from your garage. But those locks will be little protection if fitted to weak doors. Door frames too need to be strong enough to withstand attack.

Fitting high security door locks as part of your overall home security plan, will give you the peace of mind that your home is better protected against burglary than the average home.

High Security Deadbolt Locks at Amazon.com

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